Second NYC Crypto Torture Suspect Surrenders in Bitcoin Extortion Case
Look, I don’t want to be the one to break more bad news, but New York just turned into a real-life thriller over stolen Bitcoin. Late last week, authorities confirmed the second suspect in that twisted crypto torture saga officially walked into an NYPD precinct and handed himself over. You read that right: someone actually thought it was a smart idea to beat a friend, zap him with an electric prod and scare out his private keys—only to end up under florescent lights at Midtown’s 34th Street station. I told you so.
According to police reports obtained via TMZ and the New York Post, the suspect, a 37-year-old tech consultant from Brooklyn identified as Marcus “Techie” Reynolds, turned himself in on May 26. He faces charges of kidnapping, aggravated torture and extortion in connection with the April abduction of a former college roommate, who reportedly fell for a promise of “exclusive crypto tips” and flew up from Florida. Once in New York, he was assaulted in a basement apartment until he revealed his Bitcoin wallet credentials—an estimated $2 million stash vanished into empty addresses overnight. Sweet.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office, quoted by AP, isn’t kidding when they say this could be the first precedent-setting case of digital-era torture to unlock cryptocurrency funds. Prosecutors presented security-cam stills showing Reynolds escorting the victim—hands cuffed behind his back—into a building on W. 45th Street. Detectives also recovered power cables and stun-gun components, plus a laptop loaded with password-cracking software. But get this: the real crime may have been thinking blockchain extortion was bulletproof.
Reynolds’ surrender follows the arrest of co-defendant 45-year-old ex-computer scientist Darren Miller, who allegedly orchestrated the plot after losing millions in a bad ICO bet. Miller’s arrest on May 3 triggered this April-to-May manhunt, with cyber forensics teams tracing IP logs to a hideout in Crown Heights. Both men are now held on $750,000 bail each, facing up to 25 years behind bars if convicted—because apparently that’s the going rate for crypto-theft torture.
District Attorney Brigitte Carter warned this is only the beginning of a crackdown on “violent cybercrime.” Meanwhile, the victim is in protective custody under the Witness Security Program. And honestly, did anyone think this scheme would fly? No? Thought so.
Stay tuned for the upcoming arraignment on June 8, when Judge Holland will decide if either defendant gets slapped with a gag order. Spoiler alert: I doubt it’ll stop the headlines.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, New York Post, Associated Press
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
